


School Days

by princessgrouch



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 11:09:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13456968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessgrouch/pseuds/princessgrouch
Summary: School days, school days, dear old golden rule days.





	School Days

**Author's Note:**

> Merlin's experiences, with Arthur's angst inserted occasionally in italics.

School days, school days. Merlin heard his mom singing the words softly as she spread marmalade on his toast. He heard her humming it as he pulled on his trainers, and grabbed his jacket and backpack.

“On my way, mum,” he called, and Hunith dashed out of the kitchen to kiss his cheek.

“You’ll be brilliant,” she reassured him. “New school, endless possibilities.” Merlin nodded. He hoped it would go well. That he wouldn’t do anything monumentally stupid the first day.

They were in Camelot now, for Hunith’s work, and 15-year-old Merlin would be starting in a ‘real’ school for the first time. The Ealdor Village Academy had been soooo small, less than 300 students. Camelot High had nearly ten times that amount. Lots of kids his age. Exciting, this. As his mother had suggested, anything could happen.

Merlin found himself, some blurred and confused time later, dumping his bag down next to a desk he supposed was okay for him to claim. His eyes darted from one student to another in the classroom, as they jostled and chattered. That one laugh drew his attention, some blond boy, just as the teacher came in and closed the door behind her, telling everyone to settle down. So it began.

Locker, lunch, a rough and rude boy named Will, a quiet and mousey girl named Freya. Merlin ate his sandwich, eyes big and taking in the cafeteria at large. (Will wolfed his food down; Freya nibbled.) The ringing voice among the sporty kids in the far corner, that blond, his name was Arthur. Merlin watched him, paused during a bite. How likely would he be to get a friend like that? He himself was all skinny, awkward, second-hand clothes, bad haircut, wayward voice that just wouldn’t mature properly.

But I’m smart, Merlin reminded himself, channeling his mother. I’m really friendly and kind. I have a great smile, and love to have fun. Those jocks would be lucky to have a friend like me.

Each class left Merlin with another book to carry, papers. He didn’t make it to his locker in between, and spilled the pile when someone knocked into him. Unkind hands shoved him aside, but then the blond Arthur was there.

“Back off Valiant. Here, let me help.” Arthur was stooping down, gathering papers with him. Merlin froze, rather stunned by the serendipity. He closed his eyes - I wish I had a million pounds- and blinked a bit before snatching up his books. He accepted the papers back from Arthur, with a nod.

Some of the jocks were really nice. Merlin wasn’t bold enough to sit with them at lunch or anything, but Lance said hey every time they passed each other in the halls, and Gwaine sat next to him in Maths and wrote on his book dirty limericks. Percy had the locker next to his and asked to borrow a pencil once. And then later returned it with a smile.

But Arthur. Merlin wasn’t quite sure how to...proceed. Return the kindness. Something. Every day that passed made it feel like it was too late, that it didn’t count anymore, that he had been rude not to repay.

Science Project. A list of topics to choose from. Merlin looked the board over with interest. He was good at science. Then the teacher said to choose a partner, have two weeks to complete the work. He turned automatically to Will, who had already turned to Freya. Oh. Now what?

A throat cleared beside him, “Do you want to work with me?” Arthur. Merlin stared. “Merlin? You in there?”

“Um, yeah, sure.” The whole class was shifting seats, so Arthur pulled up the nearest vacant chair, the scraping sound snapping Merlin out of his stupor. “Which one?” he said, nodding toward the board at the head of the room. They looked, debated quickly, then Arthur raised his hand to indicate their choice to the teacher so it could be crossed off.

\- _I did it, I did it! Okay, keep calm, just lean in a little more. Not too much, just like it would be unintentional if our knees touched, if our shoulders...uh, he’s leaning on me! Can’t breathe! No, just focus on the work, it’ll be fine._

Merlin had to stay, of course, after school to watch football practice, so he could go home with Arthur. His father, Mr. Pendragon, nodded politely to Merlin, and went about his austere business, as Merlin followed Arthur up the winding staircase and into his rather large bedroom.

And so they worked. For a bit, anyway. Then Arthur rolled back on the floor where they had spread their books and notes around, and declared his brain to have shut down. He bounded off to fetch crisps and sodas, and dragged Merlin over to sit on his bed and play video games.

\- _Your eyes are so blue, you smell so great, can we do this every night? I can’t believe I made you play that game, you probably hated it. I should have let you win. Now you’re never gonna want to come over again. Stupid, idiotic, lame-brain..._

Just about every other day, they wound up in Arthur's bedroom, studying, getting comfortable with each other. When the project was done, Merlin racked his brains how to still get to spend time with Arthur. His mother kept asking when she was going to get to meet him. Maybe if he suggested...or...what if they...ack!

Another Friday rolled around, the kids were going to see another film in a long unending series of films, and they were all going. Merlin drew back, excused himself, have to get home he said. He turned away from the group, nobody really paying attention to him anyway. But a hand on his shoulder.

“Why not? What’s wrong?” Arthur asked, voice low. It sent shivers racing up and down Merlin’s spine.

\- _Please, please come to the picture. Sit next to me. In the dark. Just. Be. With me._

“I can’t. No money,” he whispered back. Close in Arthur’s personal space. Just to try it. And it was true, spending money was rare, Hunith covered so many expenses for the two of them, but there was never quite enough.

Arthur shuffled in his pockets for a moment, then shoved a couple of notes in Merlin’s hand. “Just take it, you have to come.” Then his face may have reddened from what Merlin could tell, as he turned back to the others. Merlin looked at the money balled up in his fist, and back up where the others were heading off down the walk. He grinned gleefully, tucking the money away, and galloping to catch his friends.

\- _This’ll work, this has to work. How, what? Hey, there’s that Sophia, ew! Perfect!_

“Aw, man, I’m not sitting next to her! She’s trouble with a capital T. Hey, Merlin, you go in first, she won’t bother you.” Arthur grabbed Merlin’s arm and boosted him forward into the row of seats. Merlin barely rescued his popcorn from spilling, and made his way along. He looked dubiously at the brunette sitting there, and judiciously left two seats between them.

Arthur slid his jumbo drink into the cup holder, and himself into the chair seat which came down with a clunk. Merlin settled himself more delicately into place, trying not to jostle Arthur, but rather hoping his leg would ‘accidentally’ wind up touching Arthur’s. No such luck. But they did share the drink. The sugar wasn’t the only thing going to his head.

They all stayed at the end to read the credits, and heckle the life out of them. That was so fun, Merlin never laughed so much. Then Arthur walked Merlin most of the way home, to make sure he got there, he said.

\- _Father, there’s someone at school. Well, you’ve met him. Merlin. I want to ask him if he’ll be my boyfriend._

Merlin told his mother that Arthur had taken him to the film, and that they were getting very...close. She really really wanted to meet him now. Merlin decided to be brave, and approached Arthur by his locker at school on Monday.

Arthur shot him an unreadable look right before he turned and walked away. Merlin was crushed. He didn’t even get to say anything. He thought...he was so sure...just what? He went to his classes, despondent.

\- _Merlin, Merlin! Don’t be sad! I’ve killed you, I’m sorry, sorry! I can’t be with you, I can’t let you go, what do I do?_

When Merlin went into the guy’s bathroom, he nearly turned back around and walked out again, because there was Arthur. It hurt, it so hurt to see him. Arthur stared at him, like he was some sort of insect.

- _Oh god, not here, not now, I can’t handle this! Get out, ack! I can’t, the door’s over there. Stay calm, breathe. No, no, no, no!_

“Please, Arthur, I...” Merlin didn’t know what he wanted to say, just that he wanted. “I thought maybe we were...and then you’re acting like this...”

\- _I asked my Father, but he said wait until I’m 18. I can’t tell you. But what if you find someone else? How can I leave it? I want, want, want._

“I’m not going to be your boyfriend, Merlin,” Arthur stated coldly. Merlin felt shards of his heart breaking off. He nodded sadly and looked at his feet. Blinked hard to keep his eyes from spilling over.

- _Are you good at keeping secrets? Oh, I hope so. I cannot let you go, can we be...can we?_

“We could be...” Arthur began, his voice suddenly choking. Not cold now, but full of some kind of emotion. “Could we be friends?” He looked so hopeful, so pleading, when a startled Merlin met his eyes. Merlin took a step forward.

“Yes? I mean, yes. Yeah, that would be...good. Um, friends.” Merlin rubbed his hand back across his eyes, and sniffled. “I’d like that.”

“Until we’re...until I am...uh, never mind,” Arthur stammered. Merlin puzzled over that, gave it up as a lost cause, and tried a smile on for size.

It was all of a week that Merlin tried to come up with a plan to invite Arthur over. Friends should do that, right? But how friendly did Arthur mean? Was it like, we’ll be civil and occasionally hang out at the pizzeria with everybody else?

\- _This isn’t working! It’s driving me crazy! Should have said BEST friends. Best friends hug, right? They spend all their time together. Yeah. They have each other’s number, and sleep over. Yes yes yes!_

“Hey, uh, Merlin?” Arthur stood abashedly by Merlin as he picked at his lunch one day. When Merlin looked up with a surprised and eager grin, Arthur appeared to lose his train of thought and just stared at him. Merlin’s grin faltered, and Arthur quickly spoke on. “I was wondering, my father has been urging me to get some tutoring in Maths, and I know how good you are at it, so could you maybe help me?”

And just like that, Hunith got to meet Arthur. They retreated to Merlin’s room once the introductions were made, and Hunith brought them milk and biscuits, to Merlin’s embarrassment and Arthur’s delight. Study study study. Merlin pointed out the errors of Arthur’s math ways. Arthur worked hard just to see that look of approval and admiration directed at him. From Merlin (sorry Father).

When Merlin dared to lay his hand over Arthur’s, the other boy held his breath and stared at it, but he did not move. After a moment, Merlin blushed and drew away. “Sorry, I’m...I didn’t mean...” Merlin took a breath, and tried again. “I know you said just friends, and you obviously don’t want anything else. Sorry.”

- _Holy smoke, he’s touching me, don’t react. Ugh, Father! Why’d you do this to me? Smile. Tell him I’m fine, it’s fine. Tell him I don’t mind._

“You can touch me if you want, it doesn’t bother me,” Arthur said, as lightly as if he was discussing the weather. Merlin blinked at him; did he hear correctly? Oh well, nothing ventured. He put his hand back over Arthur’s. Arthur didn’t move away, and Merlin thought he detected a small, pleased curve to his mouth.

Later, when Arthur was leaving, Merlin threw his foolish pride away for good. He stumbled forward and landed a clumsy kiss on Arthur’s mouth. “Sorry,” he said yet again. That was becoming a habit. But just in case. Because, you know, just friends.

“Night, Merlin,”Arthur said with a huff, and went on his way. Merlin grinned. He had Arthur’s phone number securely entered in his mobile. They had much more maths to study. And HE WAS ALLOWED TO TOUCH! And apparently kisses were permitted, too! He practically danced on his toes, as he headed into the kitchen to see if his mom needed help with dinner.

EPILOGUE

_\- Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me! Two years and four months ago. I thought it was For Ever! I don’t want to be friends with you anymore. I hope, I hope, I hope you don’t want to be friends either._


End file.
